A petition in the Calcutta High Court alleges that the police conducted a biased investigation into the JU violence case. The plea claims that the probe favored certain individuals while neglecting key evidence. It urges the court to intervene for a fair and impartial inquiry. The case has sparked debates over law enforcement’s role in handling campus violence.
Kolkata: A petition was submitted to a single bench of the Calcutta High Court on Monday, accusing the Kolkata Police of conducting a biased and one-sided investigation regarding the ruckus at Jadavpur University on March 1.
The incident left two university students injured and hospitalized after they were reportedly struck by the vehicle of West Bengal Education Minister Bratya Basu.
The petitioner claims that all seven FIRs related to the incident were filed against the protesting students, with two registered suo motu by the police and five based on complaints from the Trinamool Congress-affiliated West Bengal College and University Professors Association (WBCUPA).
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The petitioners further alleged that the police did not entertain any complaints from the students, despite the injuries sustained by two of them.
Justice Tirthankar Ghosh, presiding over the single judge bench, admitted the petition, and the case is expected to be heard on Tuesday. The disturbance occurred when the Minister’s vehicle was allegedly stopped upon entering the campus, leading to a scuffle.
The students were demanding immediate elections for the university’s student council. They claimed that as Basu attempted to leave amid protests, his vehicle intentionally struck two students, causing them severe injuries that required hospitalization.
During the protests, the Minister sustained minor injuries and fell ill, necessitating a visit to the state-run S.S.K.M. Medical College & Hospital, from which he was later discharged.
In the meantime, there have been no reports of violence or tension related to the strike called by the CPI(M)’s student wing, the Students’ Federation of India (SFI), on Monday as a demonstration in support of the two injured students.
The Uccha Madhyamik (Higher Secondary) examination conducted by the West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education commenced on Monday without incident, as examination centers were excluded from the strike’s impact.
The Jadavpur University (JU) violence case stems from a clash on campus involving students, political groups, and law enforcement. The incident reportedly began over ideological disputes and escalated into physical confrontations. Allegations of police inaction and biased investigation have fueled tensions, with some accusing authorities of favoring specific groups.
The matter has now reached the Calcutta High Court, where a petition calls for a fair and impartial probe into the violence.